Silk and Roses

This is really about a tree with silky flowers.  "Roses" is the name of one particularly hardy variety of Silk or Mimosa tree.   It's recommended by the Kansas State Extension Service, with a few qualifications.  The botanical name is Albizia julibissin.    The Mimosa tree is native to Japan and elsewhere in Asia.  This page has pictures and information about this tree.

I'm thinking of planting a Mimosa tree at the west end of our skinny front yard, which runs parallel to the driveway crossing in front of the house.

Trying to figure out if this is a good idea has taken me to some internet sites where people rail against doing so.  It's far too invasive (you'll never get rid of it), the wood is weak, it's messy, it's a non-native, etc.  I've noticed that most of the people with these opinions are from the southeastern part of the United States, or from Southern California.  Some of these people do acknowledge that it's a beautiful tree, in spite of the drawbacks.

Others speak in glowing terms of the Mimosa trees they have known.  These people remember the beautiful, sweet-scented pink flowers, and how they attracted hummingbirds and butterflies.  blooming takes place over a long period of time--May through September, according to one source.  They remember climbing among its branches or sitting in them to read.  The leaves are fine and ferny, closing up at night, like a sensitive plant that's been touched.  The flower form looks like little tufts of the deceptively beautiful thistle flower petals that are considered noxious weeds in our area.  The county will spray these thistles on your property and charge you for it if you don't take care of destroying them yourself.

The Mimosa is marginally winter-hardy in our area.  Sometimes trees will freeze back to the ground, but re-sprout from the roots.  I suspect that its marginal hardiness might be why it's not invasive.  Another factor might be that hot winds during seed development time might inhibit the development of viable seed or its germination afterward.  The trees are apparently not often grown very far north or west of here in the US--except for California, of course.  Established trees are considered drought tolerant.

I read this morning that the Mimosa is allelopathic.  That is, it produces a root substance that inhibits the growth of other plants in its root zone.

I admire the umbrella shape of multi-stemmed specimens of this tree.  All  mimosas have a broadly spreading crown.  It's listed in my Kansas Residential Landscape Design guide as a small tree--less than 30 ft. in height.

Ever since we moved back to this place and drive often through Partridge on our way to church, work, and school, I've noticed particularly one beautiful Mimosa tree along our route.  It's in the yard where Bea Bartlett used to live.  I think Joel and Stephanie W. live there now.  It's this tree that has made me consider planting one on our property.

I know of a few people in the area who have planted these trees in the past.  Phil and Rose Ella W. used to have a small tree in their yard.  I don't know if it's still there or not.  Walter Pierce told Hiromi and me several decades ago that he's almost given up growing them because they freeze back.  I could tell he regretted having to give up on them.  He said this in the context of listing other kinds of trees growing along the edge of their property at West Hills, SE of the intersection of Whiteside Road and 4th Street.

If you live in our area and know something about their usefulness for growing here, I'd be happy to hear about it.  I'd specifically be glad to know if they are hardy and if they are invasive.  A source for trees would also be welcome.  I haven't tracked down the availability of the "Roses" variety yet.  As always, anyone from anywhere is welcome to weigh in for any reason whatsoever.